Fifth-wheel for motor-vehicles.



D. N. BAXTER. FIFTH WHEEL POR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLIoA'rIoN FILED 111111.25, 1910.

1,007,262. Patented 001.31, 1911.

UNFLD STATES DANIEL N. BAXTER, OF ARDIVL'ORE, GKLAHOMA., ASSIGNOB. TO DANIEL N. BAXTER, TRUSTEE, OF WICHITA, KANSAS.

FIFTH-XVHEEL FOR- MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Original application filed July 7, 1909, Serial No. 586,382.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 551,480.

To all whom it 'may concern/ Be itI known that l, DANIEL N. BAXTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Ardmore, in the county of Carter and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain l.new and useful improvements in F ifth-VVheels for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motor vehicles and refers particularly to an improved fifth wheel construction adapted to be employed in connection with the same and forms a divisional application from the application filed July 7, 1909, Serial No. 506,382 for improvements in automobiles.

An object of this invention is to provide a mitted to vibrate freely relative to one another and to which the wheels are attached so that the wheels independently drop into depressions in the roadway and maintain constant traction therewith.

In this invention a further feature is to provide an improved fifth wheel whereby the hinged frames of the vehicle are retained in relation to one another and at the same time the various adjustments, necessary for the accommodation of the wheels to the depressions in the roadway, are permitted.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a bot-tom plan view of the forward end of a motor vehicle having the improved fifth wheel applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a detailed fragmentary view of the forward ends of the frames disclosing the bearing roller supporting the same; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 4. is a top plan view of the connection between the swiveled frames, a fragmentary view of the same being disclosed; Fig. 5 is a rear eleva tion of the same; Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof; and, Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section through the forward end of the vehicle, showing the improved fifth wheel applied thereto.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a frame upon which is mounted a suitable body 11. The frame 10 w-hich is disclosed in part only in the drawings, is mounted upon a plurality of elliptic springs 12 which are in turn supported upon an upper frame 13 of the base of the vehicle. The frame 13 is provided with a transverse beam of angle iron 14 which supports intermediately thereof a bearing 15. The bearing 15 comprises an elongated portion of lmetal which is enlarged at its central portion and suitably apertured. vehicle with pivoted frames which are per- Disposed beneath the forward end of the frame 18 is a secondary frame or lower iframe 16. The frame 16 is formed of angle liron and is of U-form, the extremities of the same terminating in the front axle 17 of the vehicle. The rear portion of the frame 16 is provided midway of its sides with a second bearing member 18 which is formed similarly to the bearing member 15 and is disposed in vertical alinement with the bearing member 15. A king bolt 19 engages through the openings formed in the bearings 15 and 18 and serves as a means for centering the frames 13 and 16. The bearing member 18 is provided with a convexed washer 20 which is formed of a disk of metal thickened at its central portion and which is suitably apertured for the reception of the king bolt 19 which is extended therethrough. The washer 2O is employed for the purpose of spacing apart the frames 13 and 16 and of permitting of the vibration of the frames out of the horizontal plane. For the purpose of permitting of this lateral vibration of the frames, the aperture formed through the bearing 18 is of conical formation, the same diverging downwardly to permit of the swinging of the lower end of the king bolt 19 incident to the vibration of the upper bearing 15. The lower extremity of the king bolt- 19 is provided with a washer 21 which is held thereon and in engagement with the lower bearing 18 by the provision of a clamping nut 22.

As will be seen from Fig. 1, the flanges of the beams of angle iron are extended backwardly and the bearing members and 18 are engaged against the forward or outer faces of the beams and are retained in engagement therewith by the provision of clamping bolts Q8 which are secured through the apertured ends of the bearing members and 18 and through the body portions of the beams.

For the purpose of supporting the lower frame 16 in spaced relation from theframe 13, a roller 2l is employed which is carried in a bracket 25, the bracket being depended from the forward end of the frame 13, so as to dispose the roller 2li upon a bearing plate 2b carried by the axle 17. 'the bearing plate 26 is arcuate in form at its forward ed in order to conform to the are through which the roller is carried upon the lateral swinging of the lower frame 1b, and the roller 2st is held in engagement against the plate 2G by the provision of a linger Q7. The finger 27 is formed of a portion of metal which is depended from the forward end of the frame 13 and is provided at its lower extremity with an inwardly extended flange or lip 28 which engages beneath the forward edge of the plate /t. lt will be noted from 3 that the plate 26 is projected forwardly a slight distance beyond the front axle 17 of the vehicleto permit of the engagement of the lip Q8 with the plate 2G. rllhe front axle 1l' is also provided with a segment which is forwardly extended therefrom and which meshes with a gear 30 connected to the lower extremity of a steering post 31 by means of which the vehicle is directed in its moven'ients.

rlhe operation of the improved .tlfth wheel comprises the swinging of the lower trame 16 about the king bolt 19 as an axis, causing the roller :ll to pass over the upper face of the arcuate plate Q6 and is caused to remain in contact beneath the frame 12% through the medium of the linger 27. lhen one of the forward wheels mounted upon the ends of the axle 17 drops into a deprcs sion in the roadway, the frame 16 is directed slightly downwardly at the side to which the wheel is carried. This action causes the washer 2O to slide over the under face of the bearing 15 and imparts an angled. movement to the bearing member 18 which is permitted by the loose insertion of the king bolt 1S) therethrough.

lilaifing thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

l'. fr motor vehicle including a main frame, a secondary frame of reduced length arranged beneath the forward end of the main frame, cylindrical bearing members carried upon the main frame and the rear end of the secondary frame for registration with one another, a conical washer interposed between the bearings, a king-bolt passing through the bearings and the washer, a bearing plate arranged across the for ward end of the secondary frame and having an arcuate forward edge, a bracket depending from the main frame and over hanging the plate, a roller carried in the bracket engaging upon the plate, and a de pending linger carried upon the bracket and having an inturned lip engaging loosely against the under side of the bearing-plate for holding the frames together.

Q. A motor-vehicle including a main frame having a transverse brace spaced inwardly from the forward end thereof, a relatively short secondary frame carried beneath the forward end of the main frame and having a transverse bar at its rear end, registering bearing members carried upon the transverse brace of the main frame and the transverse bar of the secondary frame, a conical washer interposed between the bear ings for etlecting the rocking of the same, a king-bolt depending through the bearings and the, washer, a bracket extending downward from the forward. end of the main frame and having a depending linger with an inturned lip on its lower end, a roller carried in the bracket, a bearing-plate arranged horizontally across the forward end of the secondary frame and havin an arcuate forward edge engaging against the depending finger and for the reception of the roller, and steering means carried upon the main frame and connected to the secondary frame for swinging the same.

ln testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL N. BAXTER.

ldlitnesses 2 RoDoLrH HATFIELD, An. N. Jones.

[in s] Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

